The connection between big data and big content

Big data and big content can be explained simply as structured data and unstructured data respectively, and it is of utmost importance to handpick relevant information to harness maximum value.

So, what is big data and big content? A business relies heavily on information and data to come up with better decisions. In simple words, information is the cradle to success for a company. Gathering useful and structured data out of unstructured information gives a competitive edge to a company and makes it a leader in a respective field. But due to the constant growth in information over the past years, it has become extremely important for data scientists to handpick diamonds out of a heap of coal (where big data and big content refer to diamond and heap of coal respectively). Big content comprises of PDFs, music, video etc. while big data consists of CRM (customer Risk Management) and ERP (Enterprise Risk Management) data. According to Gartner, 80% of the information is unstructured and effectively acquiring, managing, and implementing this information can help businesses make better and more profitable decisions.

1. Why is the connection between big data and big content difficult?

Both big data and big content may appear to be similar but that’s not the case. Firstly, analysing all unstructured data is no small feat. It is a daunting task for both data scientists and artificial intelligence to gather, study, examine and scrutinize all the data. Secondly, due to the proliferation of information silos within a company, not all the data is available at one place. Both the structured as well as the unstructured data are spread across various departments of a company, leading to content chaos. Thus, a single repository that contains all the information is the solution to this content chaos.

2. Is there any remedy to bridge the gap?

Fortunately, there is. Metadata acts a bridge as it eliminates various information silos and helps to connect structured and unstructured data residing across any directory and of any format. It helps to recognize and discern correct information comprising both the structured and the unstructured data across all the departments of a company. This contextualised information can then be provided to concerned professionals who can use this information to its maximum advantage. Moreover, metadata consists of the most updated information that boosts the confidence of the employees as they can receive the most revised and refurbished data. Additionally, metadata can easily tie personal greetings (unstructured data) to a related customer’s record in a CRM system (structured data).

Metadata helps to bridge the gap between big data and big content by involving all the operations and tasks involved in its design, construction, and storage without taking into consideration the size of the company and its core objectives.